Ravens LB Suggs switches sides, supports rookie wage scale

Terrell Suggs, who picked up a big initial payday after the Baltimore Ravens made him the 10th overall selection in the 2003 NFL Draft, has changed his mind about a rookie pay scale. He's in favor of it now.

The Ravens linebacker told "Sports with Coleman" on WVIE-AM in Baltimore that he hopes such a pay scale is in the next collective bargaining agreement, although he would have been against it when he was new to the league.

"When I was coming in as a rookie, I thought (the idea of a rookie pay scale) was the biggest baloney I had ever heard," said Suggs, a four-time Pro Bowl selection. "But now being a vet, being on the other side of the fence, and seeing the vets that have been in the league for years, have longevity and still haven't reached that payday, I think it's pretty unfair, and definitely the rookies should have to earn their money.

"You'd have rookies that would come in and show up to work with their blue-collar shirts and their hard hats. We would have less prima donnas in the league."

Suggs signed a six-year, $63 million contract with the Ravens in 2009. The contract guaranteed Suggs $38 million and was the largest ever for a linebacker at the time.

In eight seasons with the Ravens, Suggs has amassed 68.5 sacks, 20 forced fumbles and five interceptions. He started every game for Baltimore last season, recording 11 sacks and two forced fumbles.